369
edits
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome: Difference between revisions
From CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science
Jump to navigationJump to search
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (view source)
Revision as of 05:29, 27 October 2014
, 27 October 2014no edit summary
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
[[File:AIDS World Map.png|left|thumb|150px|Number of people with HIV or AIDS in each country in 2008.]] | [[File:AIDS World Map.png|left|thumb|150px|Number of people with HIV or AIDS in each country in 2008.]] | ||
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus causes HIV infection and AIDS. The virus attacks the immune system. As the immune system weakens, the body is vulnerable to life-threatening infections and cancers. Once a person has the virus, it stays inside the body for life. The virus is spread or transmitted person-to-person in any of the following ways: through sexual contact including oral, vaginal, and anal sex, through blood via blood transfusions (now extremely rare in the U.S.) or needle sharing, and from mother to child - a pregnant woman can spread the virus to her fetus through their shared blood circulation, or a nursing mother can transmit it to her baby through feeding them her breast milk. The virus is not spread by the following: casual contact such as hugging, mosquitoes, participating in sports, or touching items that were touched by a person infected with the virus. HIV is not spread to a person who donates blood or organs. People who donate organs are never in direct contact with people who receive them. Likewise, a person who donates blood is never in contact with the person receiving it. In all these procedures, sterile needles and instruments are used. But HIV can be spread to a person receiving blood or organs from an infected donor. To reduce this risk, blood banks and organ donor programs check by screening donors, blood, and tissues thoroughly.<ref name= | The Human Immunodeficiency Virus causes HIV infection and AIDS. The virus attacks the immune system. As the immune system weakens, the body is vulnerable to life-threatening infections and cancers. Once a person has the virus, it stays inside the body for life. The virus is spread or transmitted person-to-person in any of the following ways: through sexual contact including oral, vaginal, and anal sex, through blood via blood transfusions (now extremely rare in the U.S.) or needle sharing, and from mother to child - a pregnant woman can spread the virus to her fetus through their shared blood circulation, or a nursing mother can transmit it to her baby through feeding them her breast milk. The virus is not spread by the following: casual contact such as hugging, mosquitoes, participating in sports, or touching items that were touched by a person infected with the virus. HIV is not spread to a person who donates blood or organs. People who donate organs are never in direct contact with people who receive them. Likewise, a person who donates blood is never in contact with the person receiving it. In all these procedures, sterile needles and instruments are used. But HIV can be spread to a person receiving blood or organs from an infected donor. To reduce this risk, blood banks and organ donor programs check by screening donors, blood, and tissues thoroughly.<ref name=avert>[http://www.avert.org/aids.htm What is AIDS?] ''Averting HIV and AIDS''. Web. 26 October 2014 (Accessed).</ref> | ||
People at high risk of getting HIV include: drug users who share needles, infants born from mothers with HIV who did not receive HIV treatment during pregnancy, people who have unprotected sex, especially with people who have other high-risk behaviors, are HIV-positive, or have AIDS, also people who received blood transfusions or clotting products between 1977 and 1985, which was before screening for the virus became standard practice, and sexual partners of those who engage in high-risk activities such as injection drug use or anal sex. After HIV infects the body, the virus has been found in saliva, tears, nervous system tissue and spinal fluid, blood, semen (including pre-seminal fluid, which is the liquid that comes out before ejaculation), vaginal fluid, and breast milk. Only blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk have been shown to transmit infection to others. If these body fluids come in contact with damaged tissue or is directly injected into a person's bloodstream, like a needle or syringe, transmission of the virus can possibly occur. If the fluids come in contact with a mucous membrane, transmission can also possible occur. Mucous membranes are soft, moist areas just inside the openings of one's body. They are found inside the rectum, the vagina or the opening of the penis, and the mouth.<ref>[http://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/how-you-get-hiv-aids/ How Do You Get HIV or AIDS] ''AIDS.gov''. Web. 16 June 2014 (Last Updated).</ref> | People at high risk of getting HIV include: drug users who share needles, infants born from mothers with HIV who did not receive HIV treatment during pregnancy, people who have unprotected sex, especially with people who have other high-risk behaviors, are HIV-positive, or have AIDS, also people who received blood transfusions or clotting products between 1977 and 1985, which was before screening for the virus became standard practice, and sexual partners of those who engage in high-risk activities such as injection drug use or anal sex. After HIV infects the body, the virus has been found in saliva, tears, nervous system tissue and spinal fluid, blood, semen (including pre-seminal fluid, which is the liquid that comes out before ejaculation), vaginal fluid, and breast milk. Only blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk have been shown to transmit infection to others. If these body fluids come in contact with damaged tissue or is directly injected into a person's bloodstream, like a needle or syringe, transmission of the virus can possibly occur. If the fluids come in contact with a mucous membrane, transmission can also possible occur. Mucous membranes are soft, moist areas just inside the openings of one's body. They are found inside the rectum, the vagina or the opening of the penis, and the mouth.<ref>[http://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/how-you-get-hiv-aids/ How Do You Get HIV or AIDS] ''AIDS.gov''. Web. 16 June 2014 (Last Updated).</ref> | ||
| Line 32: | Line 32: | ||
== Treatment == | == Treatment == | ||
There is no cure for AIDS at this time. However, treatments are available to manage symptoms. Treatment can also improve the quality and length of life for those who have already developed symptoms. Antiretroviral therapy suppresses the replication of the HIV virus in the body. A combination of antiretroviral drugs, called antiretroviral therapy (ART), also known as highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), is very effective in reducing the amount of HIV in the bloodstream. This is measured by the viral load or how much free virus is found in the blood. Preventing the virus from reproducing or replicating can improve T-cell counts and help the immune system recover from HIV infection. People on ART with suppressed levels of HIV can still transmit the virus to others through sex or by sharing needles. With ART, if the level of HIV remains suppressed and CD4 count remains high, life can be prolonged and improved. HIV can become resistant to one combination of ART. This is most true in patients who do not take their medications on schedule every day. Tests can check whether an HIV strain is resistant to a particular drug. This information can be useful in finding the best drug combination and for adjusting the drug combination when it starts to fail. When HIV becomes resistant to HAART, other drug combinations must be used to try to suppress the resistant HIV strain of HIV. There are a variety of new drugs on the market for treating drug-resistant HIV. Treatment with ART has complications. Each drug has its own side effects. Common side effects are: collection of fat on the back and abdomen, diarrhea, general sick feeling, headache, nausea, and weakness.<ref name=avert | There is no cure for AIDS at this time. However, treatments are available to manage symptoms. Treatment can also improve the quality and length of life for those who have already developed symptoms. Antiretroviral therapy suppresses the replication of the HIV virus in the body. A combination of antiretroviral drugs, called antiretroviral therapy (ART), also known as highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), is very effective in reducing the amount of HIV in the bloodstream. This is measured by the viral load or how much free virus is found in the blood. Preventing the virus from reproducing or replicating can improve T-cell counts and help the immune system recover from HIV infection. People on ART with suppressed levels of HIV can still transmit the virus to others through sex or by sharing needles. With ART, if the level of HIV remains suppressed and CD4 count remains high, life can be prolonged and improved. HIV can become resistant to one combination of ART. This is most true in patients who do not take their medications on schedule every day. Tests can check whether an HIV strain is resistant to a particular drug. This information can be useful in finding the best drug combination and for adjusting the drug combination when it starts to fail. When HIV becomes resistant to HAART, other drug combinations must be used to try to suppress the resistant HIV strain of HIV. There are a variety of new drugs on the market for treating drug-resistant HIV. Treatment with ART has complications. Each drug has its own side effects. Common side effects are: collection of fat on the back and abdomen, diarrhea, general sick feeling, headache, nausea, and weakness.<ref name=avert/> | ||
When used for a long time, these drugs increase the risk of heart attack, perhaps by increasing the levels of cholesterol and glucose (sugar) in the blood. People who are on ART are monitored by their health care provider for possible side effects. Blood tests measuring CD4 counts and HIV viral load will likely be done every three months. The goal is to get the CD4 count close to normal and to suppress the amount of HIV virus in the blood to a level where it cannot be detected. Medicines may be prescribed to treat problems related to AIDS such as anemia, low white cell count, and to prevent opportunistic infections.<ref name=avert/> No safe and effective cure for HIV currently exists, but scientists are working hard to find one, and remain hopeful. The only way to know for sure if someone has HIV or AIDS is to get tested. Testing is relatively simple. A person can get an HIV/AIDS test from a doctor or healthcare provider, community health center, Veteran’s health center, Title X family planning clinic, and many other locations. There are also FDA-approved HIV home test kits a person can use. One of the easiest ways to find an HIV testing location is to use the HIV Testing and Care Services Locator. Someone can just type in their ZIP code and will get a list of HIV testing sites near by including those that offer free HIV testing.<ref name=AIDSgov/> | When used for a long time, these drugs increase the risk of heart attack, perhaps by increasing the levels of cholesterol and glucose (sugar) in the blood. People who are on ART are monitored by their health care provider for possible side effects. Blood tests measuring CD4 counts and HIV viral load will likely be done every three months. The goal is to get the CD4 count close to normal and to suppress the amount of HIV virus in the blood to a level where it cannot be detected. Medicines may be prescribed to treat problems related to AIDS such as anemia, low white cell count, and to prevent opportunistic infections.<ref name=avert/> No safe and effective cure for HIV currently exists, but scientists are working hard to find one, and remain hopeful. The only way to know for sure if someone has HIV or AIDS is to get tested. Testing is relatively simple. A person can get an HIV/AIDS test from a doctor or healthcare provider, community health center, Veteran’s health center, Title X family planning clinic, and many other locations. There are also FDA-approved HIV home test kits a person can use. One of the easiest ways to find an HIV testing location is to use the HIV Testing and Care Services Locator. Someone can just type in their ZIP code and will get a list of HIV testing sites near by including those that offer free HIV testing.<ref name=AIDSgov/> | ||
